14 November 2013

Advanced Squad Leader is game of chance. It is also a game of choice. We take our chances with each roll of the dice. Sound choices may limit the impact of chance. Occasionally, a good decision may remove chance altogether, at least temporarily. However, try as we might, we can never rid ourselves of chance entirely. At some point, we must let slip the dice of war.

Dice can trigger a series of random events that irrevocably change the course of a game. In an instant, fate can undo all the “right” moves. Life is like that too. For example, we can prepare for a road trip by checking the fluid levels, tire pressures, lights, and so forth of our vehicles. But despite our best efforts, there is always the possibility that fate will intervene. A hapless motorist, returning from the ASL Oktoberfest in Cleveland last month, is apt to agree. Part way through Pennsylvania his truck failed its Mechanical Reliability dice roll (D2.51), and became Immobilized (D8.1) on the Interstate.1

Surprisingly, or perhaps not, the driver took his misfortune in stride. He refused to let a chance occurrence ruin an otherwise enjoyable time at ASLOk. Too often we let a roll of the dice ruin our game, and with it, part of our day. Too often we lose sight of what is important. Too often we forget just how fortunate we are.

Found dead on I-90

We play a game the outcome of which has little, if any, impact on our daily lives. We play for fun, not for kidneys. We play a game while others struggle to put food on their tables. We have a lot to be grateful for, regardless of how many boxcars we roll in a life time of ASL. Having said that, there are those among us who have lived, or continue to live, on the luckless side of the probability bell curve. Life has thrown these people more double-sixes than double-ones.

With a little help from my friends

It is probably fair to say that some people in our hobby are currently down on their luck. That should not be taken to mean that they are out of luck. On the contrary, with your help someone will be in luck shortly.

I am not suggesting that a bit of good fortune will be a game changer for someone fallen on tough times, or worse: cursed to roll greater than seven on average. But we can try. :)

It has been almost six months since our last raffle on Canada Day. On 1 December, we will hold our final contest of the year. This contest differs from past contests. If you decide to enter, you will be entering on behalf of someone else. The contest nevertheless remains a dicey proposition.

Here is how it works. When you enter the contest, you will need to nominate someone for the prize. The nomination is done secretly,via email. Should you “win” the contest, the person you nominated will receive the prize. More than one person can nominate the same person, thereby increasing the odds that the nominee will win—with a little help from his/her friends.

Up for grabs is a handsome dice tower crafted of black walnut, as shown at the top of this post. The dice tower has been designed to work with all of our dice, regardless of size. Also included is a pair of our newest 16mm BattleDice representing the Nationalist Chinese, or Kuomintang (KMT). The prizes will add some randomness to the winner’s ASL game. Whether or not they will improve his or her luck is in the hands of fate. No fear!

Dare Death (gan si dui) and White Sun - Blue Sky

Here is your chance to use your good fortune to improve the fortune of someone else, and without costing you a fortune. Make a sound choice. Nominate a friend today!

How to enter

Entry is a two-step process.2

1. Leave a comment at the end of this post containing the following information:

a) your first and last name

b) how long you have been playing ASL

c) how long your nominee has been playing ASL

2. Email the following information to us:

a) name of nominee (person you want to win)

b) town and country where your nominee lives

Our email address is: battleschool at rogers dot com

The deadline for entry is midnight, 30 November 2013.

Good luck to your nominees!

Notes

1. The driver was nonplussed, passing his Personal Morale Check with ease. He waited patiently, as tow-truck driver, and then mechanic, walked him through a lengthy and convoluted Refit Phase. Several hours later a die was rolled (FB17.6131), and our stoic driver was on the road again.

The owner of the vehicle was ribbed for driving a Ford. Interestingly, almost half of the jeeps (American Vehicle Note 54) produced during World War II were built by the Ford Motor Company. The lack of red Movement Points (MP) on the vehicle counter suggests that Ford vehicles were not always Found On Road Dead. ;)

2. You need to be following Sitrep as a Squad Leader. To join Sitrep as a Squad Leader (follower), click on the blue “Join this site” button in the “Squad Leader” panel (to left of this post), and follow the instructions.